Why Punish?

Date

2019-08-26

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

ISSN

2059-1098

Volume Title

Publisher

Wiley

Type

Article

Peer reviewed

Yes

Abstract

Three ways of understanding the question ‘Why punish?’ are distinguished. Answers commonly invoke three purposes and justifications – that punishment is the way to reduce offending, that it rights the wrong, and that it vindicates the victim. All these accounts are challenged. There is particular attention to the concept of rehabilitation and an explication of what this analysis entails for the work of probation. It is concluded that there is a need to develop a broader philosophy of responding to wrongdoing with attention to the implementation of punishment and to the ‘end state’ where the wrongful act may be considered resolved.

Description

The article, based on the McWilliams Memorial lecture in June 2018, has a short response from Prof Nicola Padfield. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.

Keywords

Punishment, censure, probation, rehabilitation

Citation

Canton, R. and Padfield, N. (2019) 'Why Punish?' Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 58 (4), pp. 535-553

Rights

Research Institute